


The Inventor's Way, Reinvented

by Necro_Floodwaters



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Gen, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-07 04:09:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14662998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Necro_Floodwaters/pseuds/Necro_Floodwaters
Summary: The Inventor's Way is back! And this time it's more focused on his life, with a little bump at the start. Let's see how the Master of Inventors gets on in this new city.





	1. Oops, Made A Mistake

The Titans were the only ones who really remembered what happened after Trigon came, after he razed Jump City to the ground, after he made hell on earth, and even then, most of them could only recall the day the demon lord arrived. It was Raven that remembered everything, remembered seeing her friends, the citizens of her city, turned to stone. She remembered the sea of lava replacing the ocean. And she beat him, after she banished her father back to hell, the city was put right again. At least, that's what it seemed like. Not too long after, months at most, the buildings began to fall apart. Turned out that they had suffered damage from Trigon's short rule, and could only hold themselves up for so long. Jump City's inhabitants were swiftly evacuated to a nearby town. Even the Titans had to leave their tower behind. Apparently, being treated as a throne by a gigantic demon wasn't good for the tower's structural supports.

Almost a year passed before the buildings settled. Another month, and the city officials declared it safe to relocate back to Jump City, but first they would need to rebuild the homes, offices, and businesses that had fallen. When the government met to debate on how best to go about the monumental task before them, a man came before the small council delegated to the city's revival. This man, a rather strange individual, promised that he could help reconstruct Jump City and even make it better, but that he would only do so if the people who had lived there agreed to any changes that might come about as a result. Needless to say, but everyone agreed except Cyborg, who was adamant that he be the one in charge of fixing Titans' Tower. The man agreed and a contract was drawn up, which was signed by the man, the mayor, and the governor, as an official witness.

Over the next five years, the man led in the rebuilding of Jump City, bringing in machines of his own invention to hasten the process. As different sections were finished, families were allowed to move back into their homes, businesses were given jumpstarts, and employees were given incentives to return to their offices and cubicles. The man was making good on his promise and then some. Almost immediately after construction began, the man would dig through rubble for reusable pieces, photos and other heirlooms that had survived, and even furniture that he would personally return to pristine condition.

Eventually, the problem of how to power the city cropped up. The man had a solution for that, and he was vehemently opposed to the idea of receiving extra compensation for the machine that he later built for the power plant. When he arrived with the thing in tow, all anyone thought it was was a massive box for the machine. Turned out that the box was the machine. The man explained that it was a kinetic energy generator that not only supplied power for other devices, but itself as well. Once turned on, it would never stop powering the city.

The council members could barely contain themselves when the man first explained how his machine worked. The man smiled patiently and asked to be allowed to demonstrate how it worked. The council agreed, their grins still hitched high on their faces. The man brought their attention to his motorcycle, which he had ridden to the city that day, and opened up the side of it. Within the revealed compartment was a smaller version of the box. The man did not use gas for his motorcycle, instead he had designed and built an engine that never needed to be refueled. He even turned on his motorcycle to further prove the ability of his machine. When the council asked for a second opinion, Cyborg stepped forward to examine the bike. He was accepted and several days later reported that the man's motorcycle was indeed powered by the little box. A week after that, Jump City had a stable supply of power once more.

With reconstruction of the city finally finished, the man prepared to leave. The council sent him many letters asking that he stay on a contract basis, but the man denied, or even refused to answer, every letter that reached him. On the man's final day in Jump City, the people lined the streets to wave good-bye and express their gratitude one last time. He rode his motorcycle through the city and before he could exit, a traffic light turned red and halted his progress. Just then, a little girl ran up to him and pulled on his pants leg. When he asked her what was wrong, she told him that she didn't want him to leave, that he was a nice man, and that he should stay. The man was silent for a long time, long enough for the light turn green again, then bent down and whispered something to the little girl, who became very excited and rushed back to her parents. The man waved before heading back out of the city.

Later that night, when the little girl was being tucked into bed, her parents asked her what the man had said. "'I'll be back, little one,'" Was her reply.

One year later, to the day, the man returned. He was seen walking into the mayor's office on that day and walking back out several hours later, a rolled up document under one arm. He smiled at the people he saw before hopping on his motorcycle and driving away, headed for the warehouse district.

The day after that, the mayor made an official announcement welcoming the man to Jump City then apologized that he could not be present to give a speech. The citizens cheered regardless.

Within months, the man was busy with repairs, checkups, and even friendly visits to those that he remembered being particularly nice to him, including the little girl that had convinced him to come back and stay. The man was often invited to engagements and parties, but he would usually kindly refuse them. He spent most of his time in the warehouse that now belonged to him, down by the docks. Sometimes, people would run into him at the store and he'd stop to say hi, chat for a little, and leave quickly. He was so well known and respected that even the villains of Jump City were kind, as far as a villain can be. He never experienced a break-in, was never mugged on his outings, nor dealt with any form of hassle during his days or nights.

Unfortunately, this lack of activity against him began gathering suspicion against the man. City officials assigned police officers to the task of finding out more this man who had done so much for their city. After a short investigation, the detectives realized that no one in all of Jump City knew that much about the man. No one knew where he had come from, what he had been doing before working on the city, or even what he did in his warehouse. To the city officials, this only confirmed that the man could not be trusted and the mayor asked the Titans to step in and handle the situation, quietly.

And that is where we, dear readers, now find ourselves. Outside the warehouse/home of a man seemingly determined to get a wounded city back on its feet. Gathered around the large storehouse were the Titans, who were being directed by Robin from atop another warehouse nearby. The other Titans were spread out among four carefully chosen points, all of which offered a clear entry and an excellent vantage point of at least one of the two exits. Raven and Beast Boy were watching the bulky sliding door on the left side and Starfire and Cyborg watching the single door on the front.

"Anything we need to worry about, Rob?" Cyborg asked over the communicator.

"Scans of the building haven't revealed any traps or anyone other than the target. I still want you four to be cautious when entering the warehouse. He's already proven to be incredibly intelligent, I don't want anyone caught in something that we didn't detect before."

"We got this, Robin! Come on, it's not gonna get any better than this!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"BB's right. It's almost the middle of the night, there's no way he's awake right now. We can just slip in and check things out without him knowin'." Cyborg added.

"Cyborg's right, Robin. This is outside what we usually do. We should at least have some evidence before we storm into his warehouse." Raven interjected.

"I agree with friends Cyborg and Raven. It feels wrong to enter this man's home without proof of wrongdoing." Starfire agreed.

"Alright. We'll investigate the warehouse first and if we find something to arouse suspicion, then we take him in." Robin stood up from where he'd been crouch on the roof and, in a quieter voice than usual, exclaimed, "Titans go!"

Raven opened portals nearest the other Titans that led to areas within the warehouse then quickly stepped into her own swirling black gateway. On the other side, Raven nearly collided with a shelf full of boxes, all different sizes and, weirdly, different shapes, that extended all the way to the ceiling. A ceiling that was impossibly far away. Even though the particular spot she had appeared was dimly lit, she still should have been able to see the ceiling; instead, there was nothing but shelf for as far as she could see. "Robin, something isn't right about this warehouse," She said into the communicator, wandering down the space between the shelf and the wall.

"I know. Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy have already reported in with the same information. This warehouse is much larger inside than it appears outside. Is it magic?"

Raven pressed a hand against the cool metal of the wall and focused for a moment. She didn't feel any form of magical energy, but there was something there, something very faint, but somewhat familiar. "Robin, there is something different about the warehouse, but it isn't magic. There's something near the center. I'm going to investigate."

"Alright. I'll try to meet you there, but it could take a while. Remember, be careful. We don't know nearly as much about this place as we thought." Robin closed his end of the communication.

Raven put away her communicator and began flying through the shelves, weaving her way through a labyrinth of shelves, boxes, and randomly placed rooms. As she flew, Raven felt the somewhat familiar growing clearer and stronger. She also noticed that the lighting hadn't changed, it was still incredibly dim within the warehouse, but the various metallic objects buried among the shelves reflected the light enough to make navigation easier nearer the ground.

"Dudes, something's really weird about this place!" Beast Boy's voice suddenly broke over the communicator. Raven hadn't even realized that the device was still on.

"Of course, it's weird! It's huge inside here!" Cyborg responded.

"I don't mean that, Cy! It feels weird, like something doesn't want us here!"

"I agree with friend Beast Boy. It feels as if this warehouse does not want us." Starfire added.

Raven was too busy with her investigation to join in the conversation. She was close. Very close.

"Raven, I can't find a path to the center." Robin called through the communicator.

"Why are you being so loud?" Raven asked quietly, landing lightly on her feet outside a very, very massive room. If not for the size of the inside of the warehouse, Raven would have believed the room to be an illusion, and even then it was hard to fathom.

"What? What do you mean?" Robin now sounded very faint, as if he were talking to her from some distance away.

"Now you're quiet. Is the warehouse responsible for this?" There was no reply except static, the signal having suddenly cut out. "Oh, that's wonderful." Raven's usually monotone voice practically dripping sarcasm. Although no longer in contact with her leader, Raven still desired to study the energy spilling from the room before her. At this time of night, the only ones awake within the warehouse would likely be her team and herself. It should be safe. Raven pressed a hand to the side of the room, preparing to open a portal to the other side of it, when it just…stopped being there. Even with her reflexes, Raven stumbled a little out of surprise. Straightening up, she froze, surprised a second time, as she caught sight of what exactly was inside the room.

A great metal heart took up much of the space, beating silently. Large tubes ran in and out of it, gently bouncing in time with the heart's movements. Though it appeared to be made of bronze, iron, and even some gold, it beat unhindered by its own weight. And now Raven understood why the energy of the warehouse felt so familiar. It was the energy of a living thing, something felt on a daily basis and had grown so accustomed to it, that she had stopped noticing altogether.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A soft voice asked from behind Raven.

Whipping around, Raven prepared to cast a bolt of dark energy, only to stop when she recognized the man standing in what was now a doorway. His height alone would have given it away, but the tinted lenses of his goggles and, almost disturbingly, pale skin made it even easier. "The inventor."

"Yes. Pleasure to meet you, Raven. Or rather meet again, since we met back when I first came to help Jump City." The man smiled then absently ran a hand through his unkempt black hair. "I'm sorry about my current state. I wasn't expecting any visitors. Then again, I normally look recently homeless, so I suppose it doesn't matter." He chuckled. "Oh, I haven't introduced myself! I'm Ethan! You're probably the first person I've told my name, within Jump City." The man, now identified as Ethan, reached out a hand to Raven.

"Right." Raven didn't lower her hands, which still swirled with black power.

"Fair enough. I suppose you and the other Titans are here because of the lack of criminal activity against me and the lack of knowledge about me among the more law-abiding citizens. Beezle, quit that!" Ethan suddenly snapped, glaring at the heart. A nearly inaudible buzzing filled Raven's ears before a large beetle, about the size of a medium pumpkin, flew past her head and landed on Ethan's.

"Is that a...?" Raven had never thought she could be at a loss for words, especially after living with Beast Boy and Cyborg for so long.

"A mechanical beetle? Yes. I named him Beezle, but I usually refer to him as Beets for short." Ethan reached up to idly rub the beetle's head, upon which it began making a noise like a flute.

"Beezle doesn't have a t in it." Quite honestly, Raven was having a hard time believing that this man was a threat to anything. The beetle seemed like it could instill more terror in a city.

"No, but he is a beetle. He's Beezle the Beetle. So Beets." Ethan shrugged. "Also, would you mind putting away the magic? It doesn't quite work right in this room. You might hit the heart." Ethan turned away without waiting for a reply. "Oh, I have some tea, if you would like some." He said over his shoulder.

"Doesn't that door lead back to the shelves?" Raven lowered her arms and followed after the odd man, watching as he attempted to straighten a shirt that looked it hadn't seen an iron in many years.

"Nope. The warehouse brought me down here from my kitchen. Speaking of, I need it to direct the other Titans here or they'll be lost for months." The door shut behind them and disappeared then reappeared, this time a different color. "They should be coming in through there in a few minutes." Ethan gestured at Beezle, who hopped off his head and proceeded fly around him, then he moved towards one of the many cabinets along one side of the small room they both now found themselves in. "I'll probably have to get more chairs."

"Why are you so calm? Most people would be concerned, at the very least, about the Titans breaking into their home." Raven sat down in one of two chairs at the little table in one corner of the room.

"I already knew that rumors would spread because of my lack of problems. Truth be told, I got a bit over zealous in my efforts to rebuild the city and didn't do very thorough background checks. Never built anything dangerous, but I did accidentally rebuild some lairs and bases." Ethan rubbed the back of his head and chuckled sheepishly. "My sister frequently reminds me that I have a bit of a problem when it comes to making things."

"I think making more of something than you need is a 'bit' of a problem. Accidentally rebuilding villains' lairs is a big problem." Raven suddenly regretted following the man, standing up and moving slowly towards the door.

"I know, I know. I am really sorry for that. I will take responsibility for it." Ethan turned around to look at her and seemed mildly confused that she was heading for the exit. "I wouldn't go through that door. It will only lead further into the warehouse. Besides, I'm not an idiot. I did put in some countermeasures."

"Countermeasures?"

"Yeah. I didn't quite trust all the people that came to me so I when I was rebuilding, I made some...adjustments." Ethan shrugged and grabbed a kettle from one of the cabinets and filled it with water from the sink. "What tea would you prefer? I have Camille, Earl Grey, something that smells like apples but I never bothered to read the label of."

"Camille." Raven sat back down in the chair, unable to sense any dishonesty from the man. "What did you mean by adjustments?"

"Three four centimeter cuts along randomly chosen weak points in the structural supports within the west and south portions of the bases. After a year and ten days, those portions will fall in on themselves, after some warning, of course." Ethan rattled off the facts as if he had done them just yesterday.

Raven was, once again, rendered speechless by the man in front of her.

"I know, I know, who would be crazy enough to do that, yes? I knew this city had a bit of a villain problem so when some people came to me that didn't seem overly trustworthy, I decided to do a bit of a long haul faith test." Ethan switched on his small stove and set the kettle down on the burner then pulled a pocket watch out of pocket on his shirt. "They should be back any minute now. Your friends." Ethan took the seat across from Raven and smiled. "And since your leader will do so anyway, why not ask me some questions until they arrive?"

Raven nodded, carefully monitoring the emotions coming off Ethan. "Why did you come here?"

"I've always wanted to build a city. This was the closest I could get to that. And I believe no one deserves to lose their home."

"Why did you come back?"

"You're asking some pretty boring questions. Interrogations should be tenser. I came back because a little girl asked me to." Ethan looked over at the door that the other Titans were supposed to be coming out of. "Your friends are taking a while."

Raven ignored the comment. "Alright. Where are you from?"

"Before coming to Jump City or my place of birth?" Ethan pulled his goggles off, squinting against the weak light as he cleaned the lenses with his shirt.

"Both." Raven watched the man's red eyes as he scanned her face, taking a moment to answer.

"Before I came to Jump I was in a pocket dimension, setting up a workshop for a friend of mine who is an excellent blacksmith." Ethan blinked a couple times and managed to stop squinting. "I was born in a world that's somewhat of an opposite of this one."

"You're not human?"

"No, and I'm not like you, either. I'm not a hybrid of something human and something not."

"How do you know about that? It was never made public, even after the incident with Trigon was resolved."

"A friend of mine, a priest, keeps records about things like that. Has this book with demon family trees that magically updates itself. He hates using it, but I love reading it." Ethan looked over at the stove and watched the kettle for a moment or two.

"Why did you leave your home?" Raven had to suddenly block out the man's emotions as a wave of incomprehensible grief washed over her.

"I suppose I don't have to answer that. I know you're an empath. Personal history was included in that book." Ethan stood up as the teapot began whistling as steam rapidly poured out of the spout.

"No, you don't."

"You may continue asking questions. I would prefer if you avoided the topic of my home, if you don't mind." Ethan said as he prepared the cups of tea, adding an almost obscene amount of sugar to one. "Do you want anything in yours?"

"Milk, please."

"Honey as well, or just the milk?" Ethan pulled open the small fridge and grabbed the milk. "Kitchen, expand to dimensions...twenty-two by sixteen, please. Mind the table, Raven." Ethan remarked suddenly.

Raven barely managed to get out a very befuddled 'what' before the room began to do just as Ethan had asked: expand. The kitchen slowly became more spacious, the appliances grew to match, and table extended itself out from its center. "How did you do that? I haven't felt any magic from you or this building since I entered." Raven quickly backed away from the growing table.

"I'm actually not entirely sure how it grows or shrinks. At first, I believed it to be something to do with the space inside the atoms. Maybe the electrons were being affected by something. So I had a scientist look at the table as it changed. Had to build a device specifically for the task, but nothing. I have no idea what causes it." Ethan shook his head and chuckled. "The warehouse is full of mysteries. So full that even I haven't found them all." Ethan sat down at the larger table and waved his hand to indicate that it was now safe to sit. "Your friends should be here soon, provided they don't upset the warehouse." Just as Ethan raised his cup to take a drink from it, the door at the end of the hallway burst open and the rest of the Titans tumbled through. "Or right now. Whichever works."

"Raven, how did you get here?" Starfire, the first to pick herself up, flew over to her purple clothed friend.

"Him. He led me here and has been more than cooperative in answering my questions." Raven gestured at Ethan, who was still sitting and sipping at his tea.

"There are glasses in the third cabinet from the left, if you want something to drink." The man added, pointing out which cabinet he meant. "I have coffee, tea, and the sink obviously offers water."

"Were you expecting us?" Robin demanded when he finally managed to gather himself.

"No. Should I have? I am fairly certain that when you perform recon on someone, you are not supposed to be expected. Not usually, anyway." Ethan shrugged and took another sip of his tea.

"Then how did you know we were here?" Robin walked up to the table and leaned forward enough to press his hands to the top, glaring at the pale man in front of him.

"The warehouse informed me that we had visitors. It isn't fond of unannounced company. Oh, and you owe me a new lock. There was a key hidden on the frame." Ethan shook his head and sat his cup down. "I realize that it was a lock that couldn't be picked, but cutting the bolting mechanism is a bit much."

Robin's face darkened ever so slightly as he sank into a seat. "You're talking about this warehouse as if it's alive."

"It is. Raven can confirm this. The warehouse is alive. It is self-aware." Ethan stood and made his way to the door near the fridge, this one made of metal and rusting, unlike the others which were made of wood and painted. "I would love to continue this conversation, but it is late and I have not slept for the last thirty-six hours." Ethan opened the door and gestured to the opening. "You may come get me in the morning, after I have slept."

"Or you could come with us now." Robin countered, rising once again to look Ethan in the eye, which he failed to do with the incredibly tall man.

"I suppose that is also an option, but it does not involve me getting the rest I need, so I must pass." Ethan replied pleasantly, holding the door open.

"You can sleep in the interrogation cell at Titans' Tower." Robin suggested.

"Doesn't sound as comfortable as my bed, but I sense that you will press the matter until I give in." Ethan shrugged and placed his foot in the way of the door and slipped his hands into the pants of his sweat pants. "Alright then. Beets, mind flipping on the sign?" A noise similar to an oboe sounded from a corner of the room where Beezle the Beetle had sat, unobserved, during the conversation. The mechanical bug lifted into the air, its wings buzzing softly as it flew through an opening in the wall above the fridge. "When Beets returns, I will accompany you to Titans' Tower."

"Dude, was that a giant metal bug? That moved by itself?" Beast Boy asked Ethan.

"Yes. I've made several like it, but Beets is my favorite. Nothing quite like having a giant, robotic bug as your assistant." Ethan chuckled and pulled his pocket watch out to check the time. "Goodness, it's late." Ethan put away the watch and looked up just in time for Beezle to return from its task. "Good boy." Ethan praised as the beetle flew over to him and perched itself on his head. "Do I need to grab anything, or am I fine as is?" Ethan asked as he grabbed his goggles off the table and, after briefly moving Beezle off his head, slipped them on.

Robin shook his head and motioned for the other Titans to follow his lead as they all exited. Ethan shut the door, smiling to himself as he listened to the Titans' quietly voicing their surprise at being outside again. "Cyborg, did your scans of the building-"

"Robin, I think it would be best if you didn't think too hard about how the warehouse works. I stopped trying years ago." Ethan cut off the Titans' leader. "And your scans aren't likely to be accurate anyway. Am I riding in the car with Cyborg?" Ethan almost looked excited about the idea.

"Yeah, you're riding with me." Cyborg responded, already moving for his car.

"I've actually been meaning to contact you about the chance to study it. I really love the design of it." Ethan said as he followed the semi-robotic man.

"The inventor is very excitable, is he not?" Starfire pointed out. Robin refused to respond as he got his motorcycle from its hiding place and put on his helmet.

"Yes, Starfire, he is," Raven replied, already hovering as they waited for their ground-bound teammates, Beast Boy in pterodactyl form beside her.

"Then perhaps he is not the bad guy." Starfire floated up and began flying for Titans' Tower as Robin and Cyborg drove off, Ethan clearly visible in the back of the car as he spoked with Cyborg, his hands moving eagerly. Raven did not offer an opinion.


	2. Freedom and New Friends?

The inventor had not taken much convincing to get into the interrogation room in the lower levels of the Tower. What did prove to be a problem was getting the man to allow any of them to take Beezle away. It took nearly half an hour for Starfire prove that she would allow no harm to come to the large clockwork beetle. When Ethan finally let go of the creature, it flew straight the orange haired alien girl and promptly set itself on her fiery head. The alien princess squealed with joy and immediately flew away for her room.

Clad in only sweats, a rumbled and winkled black t-shirt, and his goggles, the man sat down in the uncomfortable metal chair and sighed, closing his eyes as he prepared for a long wait. Once he had shut out the world, Ethan brought up a book he had read months ago and had started rereading whenever he did not feel like doing anything.

While Ethan mentally read about the adventures of a brilliant young man with a bird for a friend, Robin was contacting the chief of police, who had, luckily, taken a night shift that day. Unluckily, for Robin at any rate, the conversation the two were having was not going well. "What do you mean you have no records on him? Surely he came here with some form of documentation!"

"Sorry, Robin, but he only presented a letter of recommendation from a society of well-respected and well-known experts in their fields. The mayor didn't feel that anything else was necessary, especially since the city was in such desperate need of help." The chief responded, the sound of shuffling papers filtering through the mic on the woman's laptop while she looked down at her desk in concentration.

"A letter of recommendation?" Robin almost could not resist the temptation to massage the bridge of his nose, unable to truly believe that the mayor of Jump City trusted a stranger with the rebuilding on an entire city based off a single letter from a society that Robin had never heard of.

"I have a copy here that I can fax over to Titan's Tower, if you would like to take a look at it." The chief held the copy up to the camera for a brief examination. "Or I could see if the mayor is willing to lend you the original," she added after seeing the displeased expression on the Boy Wonder's face.

"The original would be more helpful, if you don't mind." Robin sat back in his computer chair, his hands clasping in his lap.

"I'll get right on it. Are you going to send one of the other Titans to get the letter?" The woman set the copy down and began typing, likely writing up an email to the mayor.

"I'll send Beast Boy." Robin answered almost immediately, catching the smile that the police chief tried to hide.

"I'll let you know when to send him."

"Thank you for the assistance, Chief Bello." Robin was given a brief wave before the chief shut off the video call from her end. Robin sighed and switched his computer over to the security systems, watching the mysterious man calmly waiting in the interrogation room. Honestly, Robin had believed that the man would try to fight them and while it was a nice change of pace, he couldn't help but suspect some form of trick or plan designed to throw them off. Staring at the inventor through the screen, Robin began to wonder if letting him into the Tower was actually a good idea. Why were his eyes closed? Robin stood up and strode out of his room, heading straight for the interrogation room. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but he had saved his team on more than one occasion thanks to his 'paranoia' and he needed to certain of everyone's safety.

"Robin! Robin!" Starfire called as she zoomed down the hallway, Beezle letting out a sound like a flute as it clung to the top of her head. "The inventor allowed me to care for his beetle! Is he not wonderful?" The tanned alien princess landed in front of her leader and held out her hand so the large beetle had somewhere other than her head to sit. "Look how it glitters and it has beautiful wings! Show Robin your wings, little one!" Starfire was practically glowing with excitement as the clockwork bug's back opened in a way similar to real beetles, on near unnoticeable hinges, and spread gossamer-like wings.

"That is..." Robin failed to think of any words to describe just how amazed he was at the design. The opened back of the beetle not only showcased its wings, but also all the gears that made the creature possible. They were mostly bronze, but Robin could spot some steel, gold, and various other metals that made up not only the moving parts, but small pipes running throughout the beetle's body as well. "It's genius. If he turns out to be a good guy, we may have to look into commissioning him for specialized tech." Robin began walking again, now more determined to learn as much as possible about their mystery guest.

"Friend Raven said that she spoke with the inventor before we arrived. He may like talking to her better." Starfire suggested as she glided after the Boy Wonder.

"I'll ask Raven for help then." Robin assured, pressing the button for the elevator while facing his concerned teammate.

"I am grateful for that, Robin." Starfire smiled and hovered in the air, ready to head for her room.

"Star, if that beetle does anything that you think it shouldn't, let me know immediately." Robin said as he stepped into the elevator.

"Ok!" She replied as she flew off down the hall, Beezle the Beetle flying alongside her.

"Impressive." Robin muttered to himself as the doors shut and the elevator descended. While he waited for the elevator to reach the interrogation level, he sent Beast Boy a quick message to head over to the police department to pick up the letter, certain that the chief could get the mayor to let them borrow it.

Raven was standing outside the interrogation room when Robin arrived, facing the door. "I can't read him as well as most. It's like trying to read a book through dirty glass." She informed him without turning around. "I know that there's something on the page, but I can't make it out."

"He's blocking you?" Robin peered in through the one-way glass window, watching the man as he continued to sit, peacefully leaning back in his chair, eyes closed. "Can you tell what he's doing at the moment?"

"He's reading. A wood working guide. Earlier it was a book that I'd never heard of." She replied, moving to stand beside her leader. "I think he has an eidetic memory. He's remembering these books so clearly."

"We'll ask him about it when Beast Boy comes back with the letter."

"Letter?"

"A letter of recommendation that Ethan provided when he first came to the city. It's apparently the only document that has anything to do with him in Jump City." He stared at the man through the glass, sure that something wasn't quite right.

"A letter of recommendation…where did it come from?"

"From whoever is in charge of him. There's no telling who or what that is though."

"You think he's working for someone we've fought before?" Raven flicked her eyes in the direction of her leader before returning her attention to Ethan.

"I doubt it, but I can't rule out that possibility. I think it's more likely that he's working for someone new."

"Hey! Are you guys out there? I'm bored! Is Starfire treating Beets ok?" Ethan called, his googled eyes turned towards the one-way mirror, the lenses tinted a slight red now. "I worked very hard on him, you know."

"Can he see us?" Raven waved her hand curiously and almost looked impressed when he waved back.

"My goggles are capable of a lot of things. So what are you waiting on? And you'll have to turn on the speakers. I can't hear you." Ethan stood up and wandered around the room. "That chair is very uncomfortable."

"You're not a guest here. We were asked to investigate you and you have been detained to further that investigation." Robin informed the inventor, his finger on a large button at the base of a mic.

"Are you using a push button mic? I bet Cyborg put that in. Seems more for aesthetic than function, but I agree with the choice. And I know what I'm here for. I don't leave my warehouse for much, but I knew this was important. I told John that the letter by itself would be weird, but he told me it would be fine. Actually, his exact words were 'Ethan, don't be a bitch'. He has a very rude way of encouraging others." He sighed and sat back down in the chair.

"Is John the man who sent you here?" Robin asked.

"In a sense. The sense being that he wrote the letter. He didn't send me here specifically and I'm not entirely sure he's a man."

"If he's not a man, then what is he?" This time it was Raven, Robin having felt that she would have a better knowledge of creatures beyond man.

"I'm not sure I know anymore. See, my people had learned of his long ago, and of him especially. He became a bit like a god to them. When I met him, I was disappointed. Then I saw what he could do. He's mortal and yet not. It's hard to understand what he is. Ah well. He's still a giant ass. Great friend, but just a massive ass."

"Do you mean that as in he's big or that-"

"Oh, no, he's a tiny fellow. I meant that he's a jerk. Usually he's pretty nice, but if he doesn't like you, he'll let you know. Oh!" Ethan sat up in the chair. "I have his number! You could actually contact him!"

"And you are just now remembering this?" Robin demanded.

"My way of remembering things relies solely on self-assigned memory cues. I'm actually sort of hopeless without them." Ethan smiled sheepishly at the one-way glass. "Sorry about that."

"Just give us the number." Robin said, one hand pinching the bridge of his nose while the other kept the mic on.

"You'll have to get it from my Watch. John's number can't be memorized." Ethan pulled his Watch out of sweat pants pocket and spun the gears on the cover to open it. "Raven, you can create portals. Here." He tossed it at the glass where it was swallowed by a small, swirling black circle. Robin caught it on the other side. "That really is cool. I tried to make something that would produce similar openings. I think it blew up. Or did that one implode? Ah, that one imploded, because a portal opened inside the firing mechanism." Ethan shook his head. "I really should revisit that project. It was so much fun."

Robin shut off the speakers that brought in sound from the interrogation room before heading for the elevator. "Raven, will you watch him?"

"Yeah. Why not use the phone down here?"

"I don't want to make a call so close to this guy. He's good with technology and there's no telling what he could do."

"I'll keep an eye on him." Raven assured her leader.

Inside the interrogation cell, Ethan sighed and tapped the left side of his goggles, shifting its field of vision back into the normal spectrum and allowing him to see things as he normally did, behind shaded lenses to protect his eyes from light. "Damn it, John, I'm in a bit of trouble because of you." He shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "Hopefully he has his phone on him..."

In an upper level of the Tower, Robin was dialing the number engraved on the inside of the large pocket watch. He found that he was only able to remember one of the numbers at a time, even when he studied two numbers at once he would only be able to recall one of them, and not always in the order he wanted. It took him at least five minutes to finally get all the numbers in the proper order in the phone and even then he had to double check multiple times. Finally, he called the number, starting up his trace program before whoever was on the other end picked up.

There was a click and someone with a faint Scottish accent and a voice like honey said, "Hello? You're not in my contacts, given that was the generic ringtone. What do you want?"

"My name is Robin, leader of the Teen Titans, and I-"

"Richard Grayson, ward of billionaire Bruce Wayne, also known as Robin, Boy Wonder, and Bird Boy, though that is a less than affectionate nickname given to you by various villains. I'm going to assume you're calling about Ethan, possibly in connection to the letter I sent to the mayor of the city you and the Titans safeguard. I also will assume that you currently have a tracking program or something running as you listen to me in slight astonishment and great suspicion. It won't work. Anyway, no, the society that both myself and my friend Ethan work for are of no danger to you or your city. Ethan simply wanted to help."

Robin was unable to come up with a response for the other man, who plowed on as if his silence was irrelevant. "Now, I also imagine that you likely want me to come in for some form of questioning and all that, but at the current moment I'm busy trying to stop a skyscraper from falling down in the center of a major metropolitan area. I will also not be coming in after that. If you do require someone to question, I suppose I could put you in touch with-hold on a moment please." The man's voice faded as if he'd set the phone against something to muffle the noise, not that it did much to stop the sound of screeching metal and breaking glass and a loud whooping that he could only assume to be the man on the other end. This continued for several minutes, with other sounds occasionally thrown in as well, until dead silence filled the phone line, followed by some coughing and the man's voice returning. "Sorry about that. They're gonna have to rebuild the top half of that, but no one died. That's good."

"I have questions for you."

"I'm sure you do, but I'm a busy guy. I assure you that Ethan meant no harm. Hard for a recluse like him to harm anyone anyway. If any damages ensue, I will take care of it. Just get my number from Ethan again." The man coughed and spit. "Ew, concrete dust. Nasty stuff. Anyway, call me if things go terribly wrong and my friend is involved." The call ended, leaving Robin with a feeling he didn't often have: confusion.

"That was very...interesting." He muttered, putting the phone away and shaking his head. Perhaps a call to the mayor would sort out some of the unknowns, but not many.

Meanwhile, down in the interrogation cell, Ethan was mentally reviewing the types of tools had in stock in his warehouse, including what he needed to replace. "Hey, Raven!" He called, waving his hand at the two way glass, waiting a moment before continuing. "Is the hardware store open around this time? I need some screws. And a new drill."

Feedback filled the cell for a moment before Raven's monotone voice replied, "No, they close at nine. You'll have to get your screws in the morning."

"Well...I guess that's not that bad." He sighed and laid his head on the table, absently making a mental note of the materials that he was sure made it up.

There was a long moment of silence, likely several minutes long, before Raven spoke again. "Robin spoke with your friend and the mayor. You're free to go. He's looking for Starfire so she can return your beetle. Robin will return your watch after he's examined it."

"I can't argue with that. Hey, you all should visit some time. I don't leave the warehouse often, but I love visitors." He smiled happily, standing and stretching. "Call ahead though. I prefer to be dressed properly when I have guests."

"It would be….interesting to visit the warehouse again."

"Great! I'm sure Beets will be happy to see you too."


End file.
